Trowel filing tool



1959 s. M. SCHOONOVER 2,87

TROWEL FILING TOOL Filed Oct. 15, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

1i. 3, S/LAS 17. SCHOONOl ER United States PatentO" TROWEL FILING TOOL Silas M. Schoonover, Richmond Beach, Wash. 'Application October 15, 1956, Serial No. 615,822

' .1 Claim. c1. 76-82) This invention relates to a trowel filing tool and, more particularly, to a device for straightening and removing burrs from the edges of a plasterers or cement finishers trowel.

Cementfinishers and pl-asterer's trowels consist merely of a rectangular sheet of steel having a handle mounted on one side thereof. When theparallel side edges of such sheet are scraped along the cement or plaster during a finishing operation, they become razor sharp, burred, and bowed or arcuate. The burrs on such edges are highly objectionable since they form rifiies in the cement or plaster. The bowing of the edges is likewise objectionable since it is impossible to form a smooth plane surface with a trowel the edges of which are not perfectly straight. The sharpness of the edges is not necessarily objectionable from a standpoint of the work being performed, but renders the trowel edges extremely dangerous and difficult to straighten and deburr properly.

It is conventional practice among cement finishers to straighten and deburr trowel edges by means of a file held in one hand of the operator. However, this extremely dangerous practice has resulted in characteristic injuries in the cement finishing trade, such injuries comprising slashes in the hands and wrists.

In view of the above factors characteristic of the filing of trowels, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trowel filing tool which substantially completely protects the hands and wrists of the operator from the sharp edge being filed, and which provides a guiding action resulting in a more accurate and straight filing of such edge. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a trowel filing tool which is simple and economical to manufacture, yet which results in a' greatly improved and more simple action in removing the burrs from and in straightening the edges of a plasterers or cement finishers trowel.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following specification and claim, considered in connection with the attached drawing to which they relate.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a trowel filing tool, constructed in accordance with the present invention, as employed in filing one edge of a plasterers or cement finishers trowel;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical central sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the showing of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, a typical plasterers or cement finishers trowelis indicated at 10 and comprises an elongated rectangular steel sheet 11 having a handle 12 mounted on one side thereof, such mounting preferably being performed by a relatively long brace element 13 which imparts rigidity to the sheet 11. The longitudinal working edges of the sheet 11 are indicated at 14 and 15 and, as previously indicated, become extremely sharp (edge 15 in Figure 2) and bowed (edge 14 as shown in phantom lines in Figure 1) when used.

2,871,729 Patented Feb. 3, 1959 ice.

its right edge, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is spaced outwardly (to the right) from the file holding and handle means 21.

File holding and handle means 21 comprises a first side 23 formed integral with finger shield portion 19 and bent at right angles thereto, so that it is parallel to and spaced upwardly from knuckle shield 18. The first side 2.3.isintegral with a bottom side or edge 24 which is bent at right angles thereto and extends upwardly, being parallel to and spaced from portions 19 and 22. The bottom edge 24, which is slightly wider than the thickness of a conventional file, is integral with the second side 26 of the filing holding means, such second side again being bent at right angles to the bottom edge 24 so that it is parallel to and spaced above the first side 23. However, the second side is wider and larger in area than the first side, the result being the. formation of a shoulder or offset 27 above and to the left of the finger shield and guide portion 19, as viewed in Figure 2.

The first and second sides 23 and 26 of the file holding and handle means 21 are adapted to receive between them a conventional file, indicated at 28. In order to hold the file in position, thumb screws 29-are threaded upwardly through internally threaded washers or nuts 31 which upper edge of the thumb and wrist shield portion 22, there i may be provided a hook adapted to catch one edge of the trowel sheet 11 in the event that it slips upwardly past the shoulder 27.

Operation In the operation of the trowel filing tool, a standard file 28 is first inserted into the space between sides 23 and 26, and is locked-in position by tightening the thumb screws 29. The positioning of the file 28 is such that its outer edge is spaced above the combination finger shield and guide portion 19, that is to say, is located adjacent to the shoulder 27.

It is then merely necessary for the operator to hold the trowel handle 12 with one hand, preferably his left hand as indicated in Figure 1, the lower edge 15 of trowel sheet 11 being supported upon any suitable surface such as a bench or table. The right hand of the operator is then employed to grasp the file holding and handle means 21, and the tool is moved until portion 19 is in flatwise engagement with the bottom surface of trowel sheet 11. The right hand is then employed to slide the trowel filing tool up and down the upper edge 14 of trowel sheet 11, which removes the burrs from such edge and causes it to become straight.

It is impossible for the sharp edge of the trowel sheet 11 to engage the fingers and knuckles of the operator, due to the presence of the relatively large portions 18 and 19. Furthermore, when the operator presses the tool downwardly against the trowel edge, it is substantially impossible for the latter to slide into engagement with the thumb and wrist of the operator, this being due to the presence of shoulder 27 and shield 22.

Various embodiments of the present invention, in addi tion to what has been illustrated and described in detail, maybe employed without departing from the scope of the accompanying claim. e Iclaim:

A trowel filing tool, comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent into a plurality of angularly related portions, said portions including a large area knuckle shield and a large area combination finger shield and guide bent at generally a right angle to each other and meeting at an edge, a first side of a file holding and handle means bent at generally a right angle to said combination finger shield and guide and meeting the same at a second edge spaced from said first-mentioned edge, said first side being generally parallel to said knuckle shield and being disposed on the same side of said combination finger shield and guide as said knuckle shield, 21 bottom portion of said file holding and handle means bent generally at a right angle to said first side and generally parallel to said combination finger shield and guide, a second side of said file holding and handle means bent generally at a right 4 angle to said bottom portion and generally parallel to an spaced from said first side, said second side being wider than said first side so that an ofiset or shoulder is formed adjacent to said second edge, means to lock a file between said first and second sides of said file holding and handle means and in such position that one edge of said file is disposed adjacent to said offset or shoulder, a thumb and wrist shield portion connected to the edge of said second side remote from said bottom portion, said thumb and wrist shield extending at an angle to said second side and being adapted to protect the wrist of the operator of the trowel filing tool While said operator is grasping said file holding and handle means, and hook means provided on said thumb and wrist shield portion remote from said file holding and handle means to catch the sharp edge of a trowel sliding on said thumb and wrist shield portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

